Cunningham Heads Talented Kiwi Team

Reigning New
Zealand Senior Light champion Mitch Cunningham heads the
talented lineup of New Zealand KartSport racers competing at
the final round of the Dunlop Australia CIK Championship at
Geelong's Corio Bay Raceway this weekend.

Cunningham, 15,
younger brother of World Championship contender Wade, has
been battling for a top three spot in the Intercontinental A
(ICA) class all year and he goes into this weekend's
championship final only eight points behind third placed
Matthew Muller.

Last year's championship runner-up Glenn
Powles looks set to go one better this year, with a healthy
points lead over Nick Lowe - and Lowe is going to have his
hands full warding off a four-pronged attack for second
place in the championship from Matthew Muller, Troy Woodger,
Tim Ball and Cunningham.

Also crossing the Tasman to take
on the Australians this weekend are Ryan Grant, who will
compete in the Intercontinental C (ICC) class, and Michael
Burdett and Earl Bamber who will compete in the Junior
Intercontinental A (JICA) class.

Young Aucklander Burdett
stunned the Australians when he made his Trans-Tasman debut
at the penultimate round of the Dunlop CIK series six weeks
ago, working his way through the field to take third place
in the Junior Intercontinental A (JICA) final, an
unprecedented performance for a newcomer.

North Island
Junior Restricted class champion Bamber, from Wanganui, also
acquitted himself well on his Australian debut at that
meeting, setting the 11th fastest time in qualifying then
finishing eighth in the final.

This weekend's meeting in
Australia marks the beginning of an intense two weeks for
the four Kiwis - next weekend they will be back on home
ground, competing at the North Island Sprint Kart
Championships in Hawke's Bay.

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